Tiled wall or the like



Oct. 9, 1928. 1,686,812

G. D. HAINES TILED WALL OR THE LIKE Filed March 14, 1927 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 7+ "/91, J gi WT T J. M J

Oct. 9, 1928. 1,686,812

G. D. HAINES TILED WALL OR THE LIKE f 1.14 if IMNJ highly skilled labor in securing a satisfactory Patented Oct. 9, 1928.

UNITED STATES v 1,686,812 PATENT OFFICE.

GEORGE D. HAINES, OF PARK RIDGE, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO PORCELAIN TILE COM IPANY, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF ILLINOIS. I

TILED WALL OR THE LIKE.

Application filed March 14, 1927. Serial No. 175,066.

The construction of a tiled wall composed of vitrified clay tiles includes a number of steps 'each of which are comparatively lengthy and which necessitates the. employment of result. Frequently it is desirable to provide a tiled surface which has a border thereon or which presents a pattern or geometrical figures or the like. In such instances, exceptional skill is required to inlay a pattern or figures in' the tiled surface. Obviously where a great amount of skill is required the expense of the wall will be commensurate therewith...

It is an object of the present invention to provide a new and improved means for producing tiled walls, by which means any style of mosaic, inlay or geometrical figure may be readily accomplished by one having very little skill in such matters.

Other objects and advantages will become apparent from the following description and in the accompanying drawings in which:

Figure 1 is a fragmentary face view of a wall embodying the features of this invention and showing one pattern possible by the use thereof.

Fig. 2 is a transverse section through the wall on the line 22 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of one form of the tiles having a part broken away to show the. marginal members.

Fig. 4 is perspective view of another form of tile as used in this invention.

Figs. 5, 6 and 7 are fragmentary face views of a wall disclosing three of the many varied,

patterns which are possible.

Fig. 8 shows a different arrangement and pattern of grooves and tiles.

In attaining the objects of the invention, I have substituted for the usual thick clay tile a thin sheet metal tile provided with a vitreous enamel surface and having rearwardly extending marginal flanges, and in place of" the usual, lath, mortar and cement foundation I have substituted :1 single base sheet of such material as wall board, Celotex, Sheetrock, Insulex, or the like, and I have provided grooves in one face of said sheet to receive the flanges on the metallic tiles, the grooves being arranged in such a way that the sheet forms a universal base on which to sheet of wall board 14 or the like.

actly alike with the exception that one has at least one dimension which is a multiple of one dimension of the smaller tile thus providing what may be termed single and multiple tiles.

Referring to the drawings,Figs. 3 and 4 show single and one form, of a multiple tile each comprising a plate 10 having marginal rcarwardly extending flanges '11. Preferhandling during enameling and to; effect a better bond between the tiles and the receiving surface when the tiles are set. F igs'. 1 and 2 show a wall constructed in accordance with this invention which comprises the customary supports or framework formed of studs 13 to which is nailed or otherwise secured a The wall board is suitably leveled on the studs to provide a plane surface which surface has a plurality of grooves or channels 15 therein to receive the flanges 11 of the tiles. As shown clearly in Fig. 1, the figures 16 defined by the width, depth and spacing of the grooves correspond to the dimensions of the single tiles with each groove slightly wider than twice the thickness of the flanges 11.

Although the grooves may easily be formed in thesheet during the'process of manufacture, it has been found practical to form said grooves after the sheet has been finished by simply running the sheet through a rabbeting or similar grooving machine. In that case a parallel set of continuous grooves is first 'cut in the sheet in one passage hereof through the machine and in a. subsequent passage therethrough the sheet is turned to a different position so as to provide a second parallel set of continuous grooves running at an angle to and intersecting the first set. Thus studs 13 the tiles are firmly mounted against the sheet with the flanges 11 in the grooves 15 by the use of a suitable cement or the like.

As before mentioned, the surface of the sheet 14 presents a symmetrical'series of similar geometrical figures, in this instance squares, designated by the grooves. Co rise quently, during the tile setting operation, by

merely varying the arrangement of the single and multiple tiles according to apredetermined pattern any number of geometrical figures or mosaics may be formed. Moreover, if desirable, tiles having a colored surface may be used to produce a pleasing inlaid effect; or the colored tiles may be used to provide a simple border about the tiling. llnasmuch as the positions of the tiles are determined by the grooves, it is impossible for the tiles to be misplaced or positioned out ofalinement and the only skill necessary in producing the most complicated design perfectly is the ability to follow a pattern.

Inasmuch as each set of grooves which defines a single figure upon the surface of the wall board is adapted to receive the marginal flanges 11 of a single tile it will be apparent that said single tiles may be mounted at any specified position thereon. Moreover, since the other forms of tiles are merely multiples of the smaller tiles the grooves defining figures similar to the multiple tile are as easily adapted to receive the flanges thereon. Thus any desired tile may be mounted at' any specified position upon the surface of the wall board.

Figures 1 and 5 to 8 are examples of a few of the many patterns or effects which may be produced by this method. Fig. 1 is a pattern formed to provide a basket weave effect in three colors using both double and single tiles. lln this instance each multiple tile is set at right angles to the adjacent double tile with a single tile in the space in the center of the square thus designated. By using multiple tiles of two colors in contrast with the center single tile of a third color, the basket weave effect is produced. -Fig. 5 shows a pattern in which multple tiles of a single color are set in pairs, each pair being at right angles to the adjoining pair to give the effect of large squares. Fig. 6 is a pattern produced by using multiple tiles set to rovide a zig-zag or herringbone weave efect. Fig. 7 is a simple checker-board effect produced by using single tiles of twoalternating colors.

A different construction and arrangement of the grooves and tiles, which, however, embodies the general idea of the invention, is shown in Fig. 8. In this instance the grooves are formed in three parallel sets, one set formed in the usual manner at right angles to the edge of the sheet and the second and third setsrunning at angles of 60 and 120 from the first setwith the intersections of the three sets at'single points'on the sheet. Thus the symmetrical figures formed upon the surface of the sheet are equilateral triangles. For use with this arrangement of grooves the single tiles will have the form. of an equilateral triangle and the multiple tiles the form of an equilateral parallelogram in which all four sides and one diagonal are equalin length. This construction lends itself readily to an infinite number of varied mosaic designs and inlaid patterns, one of which is shown in the figure.

It will be apparent that the method here in described possesses numerous advantages over the processesheretofore practiced. The grooves may be provided in the sheet readily and economically to provide thereon any desired system of geometrical configurations. The grooves provide a true guide for the process of setting the tiles to eliminate possibility of a finish which is out of alinement. Moreover, the grooves permit the ready. application of any single or multiple tile at any point on the surface of the wall board. And in conjunction with grooves formed in this manner the provision of multiple and singlelength tiles, permit various patterns to be readily inlaid in the wall withoutnecessitating the use of skilled labor.

It is to be understood that the sheets may be grooved in other ways than those disclosed herein to achieve essentially the same end or that other forms and modified construction of tiles may be provided without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as set forth in the appended claims.

I claim as my invention:

1. A tiled wall comprising a sheet having in its face sets of continuous parallel grooves, said sets intersecting each other to define similar geometrical figures thereon, and a plurality of tiles covering said sheet and secured thereto, said tiles having marginal members extending into said grooves.

2. A tiled wall comprising a base sheet having in its face sets ofcontinuous parallel grooves, said sets intersecting each other, and a series of tiles covering said face and secured to the sheet, said tiles havingmarginal members extending into said grooves, said grooves intersecting each other at right angles to define square spaces of equal size, whereby to permit universal selective use of tiles having dimensions substantially equal to said square spaces or any multiple of such spaces,

3. A tiled. wall comprising a base sheet having in its face a plurality of sets of parallel grooves, each groove extending continuously throughout substantially the entire face of said sheet, and a plurality of tiles covering said face of the sheet and each hav-' ing marginal members extending into said grooves, the respective sets of said grooves intersecting each other throughout the sheet to define geometrical figures or spaces on the sheet of uniform size and shape, whereby to permit of the universally selective use of tiles of a size corresponding to the dimenranged to intersect each groove in each other series at a number of regularly spaced intervals about the face of said sheet to designate thereon symmetrically arranged geometrical figures, and a plurality of plates secured upon and covering said sheet, part of'said plates being similar to and substantially the same size as said figures on said sheet, and the remaining plates difiering from the first in that one dimension is a multiple of at least one dimension of said figure, and marginal members on said plates adapted to extend into said grooves.

5. A tiled wall or the like comprising a sheet having in its face a first and second series of continuous parallel grooves intersecting thereon to designate similar figures, and a plurality of different sized tiles secured to and covering said sheet, one of said sizes of tiles being substantially similar to the figures formed on said sheets and the other size of tiles difiering from the first in that at least one dimension is a multiple of one dimension of the first mentioned tile and marginal members on each of said tiles extending into said grooves.

In testimony-whereof, I- fixed my signature.

G EORGE D. HA INES.

have hereunto af- 

